Hydrotherapy: A Versatile Naturopathic Treatment Modality

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Hydrotherapy is an important healing modality in traditional
naturopathic medicine. It utilizes the therapeutic benefits of
water applied in a variety of ways and at various temperatures to
promote a specific outcome in a patient's treatment plan.

Hydrotherapy can be used as part of a
therapeutic treatment plan for a wide range of conditions,
including:

Colds, flu and other infections

Insomnia, stress and headaches

Immune system disorders

Pain relief

Injuries and inflammatory disorders

Circulatory and respiratory health

Detoxification and elimination

A naturopathic clinician may use hydrotherapy to soothe or
stimulate various systems in the body, and will most likely use it
in conjunction with other natural treatments (such as botanical
medicine, nutritional improvements or lifestyle changes), so that
the body's natural healing ability is enhanced and supported.

There are several forms of hydrotherapy. Depending on the
patient's health history and symptoms, the naturopathic physician
may recommend:

Constitutional Treatments: A one-hour series of alternating hot
and cold compresses to the abdomen and thorax that can support
digestion and elimination, relieve stress, and boost immunity;

Russian Steam Baths: Full body immersion (except head) in steam
often used to promote elimination;

Peat Immersion Baths: A 10-20 minute soak in a hot tub infused
with a special mixture that promotes detoxification, followed by a
20-minute "perspiration phase" where the patient is wrapped up and
allowed to relax on the treatment table.

At National University of Health
Sciences (NUHS), naturopathic interns have access to a modern
hydrotherapy room, complete with a Hubbard tank and steam cabinet.
The dedicated hydrotherapy suite allows interns to learn and
perform a dozen different hydrotherapy treatments.

NUHS Clinician Kelly Baltazar, DC, ND, says, "We've used it most
commonly in upper respiratory infections and gut issues, and we
usually see a good response."

Hydrotherapy, like many natural modalities with a long history,
is finding its place in the modern toolbox of today's natural
healers.